The Carolina Panthers are still three weeks away from making their decision on head coach Ron Rivera. Owner Jerry Richardson has been clear that the team has to finish on the upswing for Rivera to come back. Sunday's win over Atlanta was a start, but the three remaining games will decide his fate.

Rivera needs to win at least two, if not all three, games to earn a third season in Carolina. The Panthers go to San Diego, host the Raiders and finish at New Orleans. Winning all three is possible, but the 2012 Panthers have struggled with consistency. The seat is on fire under Rivera, and it wouldn't be surprising if he is let go in early January.

One head coaching candidate who could fit Carolina well is Oregon head coach Chip Kelly. After turning the Ducks into one of the top programs in the nation, he is said to be ready to jump to the NFL. Kelly could have made the leap a year ago, but he turned down the head coaching job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Panthers would be an ideal fit for Kelly. In Carolina, he would have one of the NFL's most athletic quarterbacks, Cam Newton. A dual-threat signal-caller like Newton would allow Kelly to incorporate some of his college spread-option offense into his NFL system.

In speaking with sources, they said that Kelly to Carolina is possible. Former Panthers general manager Marty Hurney thought very highly of Kelly, and he was discussed two years ago before Rivera was hired. Richardson was extremely close to Hurney, so that opinion could still carry some influence.

Kelly has never coached in the NFL, so many believe that an owner like Richardson would want to hear the names of some NFL experienced assistant coaches whom he would bring on staff. One name to keep an eye on is Monte Kiffin. After four seasons in college football, Kiffin is ready to return to the NFL. Kelly is good friends with Jon Gruden, who would give a wholehearted endorsement to having a legendary coordinator like Kiffin on Kelly's staff.

Sources have told WalterFootball.com that Kiffin would prefer to be in the Southeast if he had the option. The Buccaneers coaching staff always had a lot of respect for the Carolina franchise and former head coach John Fox. Kiffin and Kelly landing with the Panthers makes some sense.

However, all that depends on how Rivera's Panthers play in the final three weeks of the season.

walterfootball

Take it for what it's worth since the sourcing is spotty and a lot of this is opinion-driven, but I would love to see a Kelly/Kiffin combination in Carolina. I think that bend/don't break style that Kiffin plays on defense works well with a HUNH offense.

I think Hurney's opinion most definitely still matters to Richardson, even if he's no longer with the team. I've read where they've had conversations about the team even after JR fired him. I imagine he will continue to function as an unofficial adviser of sorts until or unless he finds a job with another team, which is a scary proposition to me.

12-12-2012, 10:13 PM

manbearchef

I wouldn't oppose Kelly, but I'll absolutely pass on Kiffin. I don't like him or his philosophies.

A pure Tampa-2 would kill this defense. There's a reason only two teams still run this defense. The only defense that still has success with it is Chicago, but they're built perfectly for it. They have an excellent DL, excellent seconday, and probably the best Tampa-2 MLB to play the game.

My biggest issue with the Tampa-2 is that the QB-friendly rules have killed it's effectiveness. No hard-hitting safeties = huge chunks of yards. Hard-hitting safeties = penalties. It also doesn't help that Kuechly is still very young, and a T2 would put a lot of stress on him.

If he didn't run a pure T2 defense I wouldn't be so bothered, but I'd rather keep McDermott and his attacking 4-3/prevent defense in the second half.

12-12-2012, 11:25 PM

JohnShadows

Kelly: yes
Kiffin: no

12-13-2012, 02:37 AM

homestarunner93

Quote:

Originally Posted by manbearchef

I wouldn't oppose Kelly, but I'll absolutely pass on Kiffin. I don't like him or his philosophies.

A pure Tampa-2 would kill this defense. There's a reason only two teams still run this defense. The only defense that still has success with it is Chicago, but they're built perfectly for it. They have an excellent DL, excellent seconday, and probably the best Tampa-2 MLB to play the game.

My biggest issue with the Tampa-2 is that the QB-friendly rules have killed it's effectiveness. No hard-hitting safeties = huge chunks of yards. Hard-hitting safeties = penalties. It also doesn't help that Kuechly is still very young, and a T2 would put a lot of stress on him.

If he didn't run a pure T2 defense I wouldn't be so bothered, but I'd rather keep McDermott and his attacking 4-3/prevent defense in the second half.

Who says Kiffin would run a pure Cover 2 here? He sure hasn't run one at USC. You have to remember Kiffin is one of the greatest defensive minds of the past couple of decades in the NFL. If anyone can adjust and adapt their system, it's him.

12-13-2012, 04:58 PM

manbearchef

Quote:

Originally Posted by homestarunner93

Who says Kiffin would run a pure Cover 2 here? He sure hasn't run one at USC. You have to remember Kiffin is one of the greatest defensive minds of the past couple of decades in the NFL. If anyone can adjust and adapt their system, it's him.

Honestly, I won't say I'm the most knowledgeable of Kiffin, but I've always hated the Tampa-2. It's boring to watch, and IMO a dying defense. I don't like the aspects of the T2 that are already in Carolina (the bend-don't-break while having a lead). But what I saw at USC looked very much like a T2 defense (I'm sure it wasn't a pure T2); every play you could look at the defense and tell what every player would do when the ball was snapped. Couple my hatred for the T2 with the horrendous exit he had from TB back in 08, and I'll just have to pass.

My ideal coach is actual Sean McDermott (those who know the things I've posted about McDermott, let me explain). McDermott had the privilege of sitting behind one of the greatest defensive coordinators of all time, Jim Johnson. If Carolina is going to run a 4-3 defense, I'd love for it to be mirrored after Johnson's attacking 4-3 zone blitz defense. And I think that's something McDermott would like to do, but is unable to do with all the injuries/bad personnel. When he was first signed he mentioned his blitz packages, but he might have changed his mind. Honestly, I don't even know what kind of 4-3 we run now, because it seems very close to a T2 as it is.

Of course, I think I'm the only person who still likes the 46 defense, so what do I know?

12-13-2012, 08:24 PM

NCBoSoxfan21

I get the feeling Kiffin is a package deal with his brother as HC and him at DC... like TEN and USC.

12-13-2012, 08:55 PM

homestarunner93

Quote:

Originally Posted by manbearchef

Honestly, I won't say I'm the most knowledgeable of Kiffin, but I've always hated the Tampa-2. It's boring to watch, and IMO a dying defense. I don't like the aspects of the T2 that are already in Carolina (the bend-don't-break while having a lead). But what I saw at USC looked very much like a T2 defense (I'm sure it wasn't a pure T2); every play you could look at the defense and tell what every player would do when the ball was snapped. Couple my hatred for the T2 with the horrendous exit he had from TB back in 08, and I'll just have to pass.

My ideal coach is actual Sean McDermott (those who know the things I've posted about McDermott, let me explain). McDermott had the privilege of sitting behind one of the greatest defensive coordinators of all time, Jim Johnson. If Carolina is going to run a 4-3 defense, I'd love for it to be mirrored after Johnson's attacking 4-3 zone blitz defense. And I think that's something McDermott would like to do, but is unable to do with all the injuries/bad personnel. When he was first signed he mentioned his blitz packages, but he might have changed his mind. Honestly, I don't even know what kind of 4-3 we run now, because it seems very close to a T2 as it is.

Of course, I think I'm the only person who still likes the 46 defense, so what do I know?

The bend/don't break strategy is good for an explosive offense. I don't like the idea of a big play offense playing with a blitz-heavy defense. You will give the opposing team too much opportunity to score if you're scoring fast and then potentially giving up big plays as well. Of course, you could force a ton of turnovers and bury a few opponents quickly, but I don't think it is a sustainable strategy if you really want to compete.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCBoSoxfan21

I get the feeling Kiffin is a package deal with his brother as HC and him at DC... like TEN and USC.

Monte is Lane's father. Monte is resigning at USC to pursue NFL opportunities. Lane will be the HC at USC in 2013.

12-13-2012, 09:05 PM

NCBoSoxfan21

Ha shows how much I know about Kiffin.

Either way Lane might get dropped too, no? He's not been the answer they thought he was after Carroll.

12-13-2012, 09:13 PM

homestarunner93

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCBoSoxfan21

Ha shows how much I know about Kiffin.

Either way Lane might get dropped too, no? He's not been the answer they thought he was after Carroll.

He's on thin ice, especially considering the current AD at USC didn't hire him, but he should get at least one more year. It would be hard to make a good hire at this point considering most of the major coaching moves have already shaken out.

12-13-2012, 10:49 PM

Killakatsfan

How about Mike Leach for HC or OC?

12-14-2012, 01:36 PM

manbearchef

Quote:

Originally Posted by Killakatsfan

How about Mike Leach for HC or OC?

I know very little about him, but good god is he fugly...

12-14-2012, 02:48 PM

homestarunner93

Leach is a douchebag, and I really don't see him being a good fit in the NFL. His players at Texas Tech basically pulled off a coup because of the way he treated them. Imagine when he's coaching grown men that are being paid (legally) to play. He's a bright offensive mind (at least at the collegiate level), but I don't think he's a fit in the NFL.

12-15-2012, 05:46 PM

NBA_Starter

I would welcome Chip Kelly as our coach in a heartbeat.

12-16-2012, 05:00 AM

NCBoSoxfan21

I wouldn't. I'm not confident in his abilities as an NFL HC as much as an OC...

I'd rather have his fellow pac coach in Shaw.

Or maybe even Erickson over Kelly.

12-16-2012, 12:27 PM

homestarunner93

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCBoSoxfan21

I wouldn't. I'm not confident in his abilities as an NFL HC as much as an OC...

I'd rather have his fellow pac coach in Shaw.

Or maybe even Erickson over Kelly.

Why not? He runs a supposedly runs a legendary practice. His in-game feel can't be worse than Rivera.

What makes you feel better about Shaw, who has zero NFL experience and has only been a HC for two years in the collegiate game? Chip had 10 years of OC experience before he became a HC; Shaw had 4. Shaw might be an NFL coach in a few years, but he is way, way too inexperienced right now.

DENNIS ERICKSON?!?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

You want the guy that has been fired two NFL teams and Arizona State? It might be hard for the Panthers to lure him away from his HS volunteer coaching job. :laugh2: